3 weeks ago
Birds Fly Into Delhi Offices to Escape Heat, Rescuers Warn
This summer, it got so hot in Delhi, India, that birds started flying into buildings to find shade and cool down.
When birds get too hot, they get very tired and sick, because they cannot sweat like people do.
Some birds got so weak they couldn't fly anymore and collapsed on the ground.
Helpers from a group called Wildlife SOS found many of these birds and gave them water, shade and rest.
Most of the rescued birds got better and were able to fly away again.
In April, there were almost forty percent more animal rescue calls than in the same month last year.
Experts say cities are extra hot because roads, buildings and glass trap the sun's heat.
They think hotter heatwaves are arriving earlier each year because of climate change.
They say everyone can help by putting out bowls of water and planting more trees for the birds.
A black kite that collapsed near India Gate in April was revived by Wildlife SOS after rescuers gave it fluids, shade and monitoring.
Wildlife SOS recorded nearly a 40 percent increase in wildlife rescues across Delhi-NCR in April 2026 compared with April 2025 - its highest April total on record.
Bird rescues rose by nearly 49 percent in April 2026, while mammal and reptile rescues rose by almost 24 percent.
Birds were found inside office lobbies, railway stations, apartment complexes, embassies and campuses, seeking shade and water from urban heat.
Experts say heatwaves are arriving earlier and becoming more intense due to climate change, and urge green cover, water bowls and bird-safe building design.
- Who
- Wildlife SOS rescue teams and experts including director Wasim Akram, co-founder Kartick Satyanarayan and veterinarian Dr S Ilayaraja, rescuing birds such as black kites, parakeets, owls, peafowl and pigeons.
- What
- Birds suffering extreme heat stress and dehydration collapsed or flew into buildings across the city, driving a record surge in wildlife rescues.
- Where
- Delhi-NCR, Agra and Uttar Pradesh, India.
- When
- April and May 2026.
- Why
- Extreme heat intensified by urban heat islands - concrete, glass and shrinking tree cover - which experts link to earlier and more intense heatwaves from climate change.
Key facts
- Organization
- Wildlife SOS
- Increase in wildlife rescues (April 2026 vs April 2025)
- Nearly 40%
- Increase in bird rescues (April 2026)
- Nearly 49%
- Increase in mammal and reptile rescues (April 2026)
- Almost 24%
- Increase in bird rescues (April-May 2026 vs 2025)
- Nearly 21%
- Urban heat island temperature difference
- 5-7 degrees Celsius hotter than nearby areas
- Affected species
- Black kites, ring-necked parakeets, flamingos, rock pigeons, peafowl, mynas, owls and eagles
- Rescue locations
- Office lobbies, railway stations, embassies, apartment complexes and institutional campuses
Quotes
Wasim Akram
Director of Sustainability & Special Projects at Wildlife SOS
““The heat this summer has been unlike anything we’ve experienced before,” he said. “Our rescue teams had been responding to more than a dozen distress calls every day, and most of those involve birds suffering from extreme heat stress and dehydration.””
thebetterindia.com
Kartick Satyanarayan
Co‑founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS
““Urban heat is driven by concrete, asphalt and glass that absorb and retain solar heat, forming ‘heat islands’ far hotter than surrounding areas.””
thebetterindia.com
Dr. S Ilayaraja
Deputy Director of Veterinary Services at Wildlife SOS
““Heat stress in birds causes dehydration, exhaustion and hyperthermia. Early intervention and immediate rehydration are critical to survival.””
thebetterindia.com









